LOUISE BOURGEOIS: COMPLETE BOOKS & PRINTS

Themes:

Body Parts, Motherhood & Family

Techniques:

Digital, Lithography

Description:

Lithograph and digital print, with paper, metal, and string additions

Support:

Wove Arches paper

Dimensions:

composition: 41 1/8 x 28 5/16" (104.4 x 71.9 cm); sheet: 46 13/16 x 31 1/2" (118 x 80.1 cm)

Signature:

"LB" lower right margin, pencil.

Publisher:

SOLO Impression, New York

Printer:

SOLO Impression, New York,
WOW Digital Imaging, New York

Edition:

50; 29 A.P., 5 T.P., 4 P.P., 1 B.A.T.

Impression:

"AP 3" lower left margin, pencil, unknown hand.

Background:

Henriette, Bourgeois's older sister, suffered from a stiff and swelling leg. The sister required therapy, but did not actually have a prosthetic limb as seen here.

During the 1930s, Bourgeois worked at the Louvre. On her way, she often passed a prosthetics shop, and in the museum she saw many WWI amputees who were employed as guards.

Curatorial Remarks:

The cut-out leg portion of this composition is a digital print of the source sculpture, overlaid with lithography and foamcore. This element is flat, although contours within the image give it a sense of dimension.

Other Remarks:

According to printer Judith Solodkin of SOLO Impression, the wrench key at the top is mean to symbolize the potential unlocking of the screws at the knee joint.

MoMA Credit Line:

Gift of the artist

MoMA Accession Number:

131.2000.a-b

© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY